By Erika Van Krevelen, Community Volunteer Ambassador, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area

A small clifff edge in a ravine has frozen over with melting snow, forming a wide and ornate frozen waterfall hanging off the trees, roots and moss growing out of the side of the rock. — Copyright National Park Service / Erika Van Krevelen.

There isn’t a shadow of a doubt that Shadow Falls is one of Saint Paul’s most overlooked natural wonders—literally. Hundreds of people walk, jog, and bike along the paved trail that follows the Mississippi River Boulevard each day, perhaps stopping to look out at the river and admire the view. But tucked away, deep down in a ravine near the intersection of Mississippi River Boulevard and Summit Avenue, Shadow Falls faintly flows, unknown to many who pass it by.

Shadow Falls may not be able to match the size and water flow that one can expect at Minnehaha Falls, but what it lacks in volume it makes up for in character. A visit here is like a trip back through geologic time; visitors can easily see the distinct layers of bedrock from the cross section carved out by the falls. From the top down, you’ll find Decorah Shale, Platteville Limestone, Glenwood Shale, until you finally reach the easily eroded St. Peter Sandstone. The lower you go, the older the bedrock. St. Peter Sandstone is as old as 458 million years, while the grayish green Decorah Shale nearest the top is 454 million years young. And when it isn’t covered in snow and ice, visitors can observe fossils including invertebrates like conodonts and trilobites.

Shadow Falls is captivating in all seasons, but in winter it is especially so. A spring-fed stream guides the curious hiker close to the falls, which can be a mix of frozen and flowing. A steam-like vapor can be seen as the warmer stream water instantly evaporates as it hits the frozen icicles that descend from the layers of shale and limestone above. Nearby branches and moss are often iced by frost, lending them a crystallized appearance. Needless to say, a visit to Shadow Falls is surely a sight to inspire wonder during the short, cold days of our Minnesota winters.

Discover Your River: Shadow Falls In Winter